The future of UK shopping? Revolutionary new Amazon supermarket has no checkouts and no staff

Amazon have welcomed the public into their first supermarket more than a year after opening the space to employees for testing purposes.

The revolutionary shop in the USA doesn’t require customers to use any checkouts whatsoever, manned or self-service. Shoppers don’t even need to scan their chosen items in any way to pay for them.

Before entering the supermarket, visitors must scan the Amazon Go smartphone app on their mobile phone to identify themselves and gain access to the building. This is how Amazon takes payment once the shopping trip is complete. Inside the shop, sensors on shelves track when a customer lifts (or puts back) an item, and ceiling-mounted cameras keep tabs on each shopper and their purchases as they move around the store.

Teething issues

The big delay between testing the futuristic shop and opening it to the public was reportedly due to some teething issues. These included the computer system confusing shoppers of a similar body type, and children moving products to the wrong shelves. There are currently no plans to open any other Amazon Go stores, but the technological advancements made by the online giant are likely to inspire other retailers.

Public reaction

While some members of the public are impressed by the increase in speed the Amazon supermarket would make to their average shopping trip, others are not convinced.